ICT STYLE ISSUE I March/April 2017
@theemamarazzi
-From The EditorI
’ve always adored fashion. I love to shop and I love to shop local if I can!
I’ve noticed so much energy within the local fashion industry. A group of innovative 20-something year olds are currently leading the charge in Wichita-based clothing brands and fashion-retail businesses! It’s exciting to see how their entrepreneurship embodies so much creativity and style—and the dedication to the process they invest in. In this issue, I spoke with some of our fashion/style leaders. A couple of them occupy space in the Old Town area or offer online shopping options to customers. One fashion-entrepreneur insisted on making the shopping experience easier by coming to her customers! Others are making bold fashion statements through nightlife promotions and themed events. In so many ways, my featured guests are thinking outside of the box and contributing to making ICT even more stylish. I also wanted to celebrate Seaniece Bolden, 11-year-old daughter of Wichita native Sean Bolden, who is embarking on an acting career having starred in a film entitled, “The Big Chop.” The film follows a woman on her journey back to natural hair after being pressured to perm her hair as a child. Seaniece was adorable while discussing her acting debut in a phone interview for the magazine! There’s lots more to come from her. Again, it was a pleasure to chat with all of these remarkable people! The next time you choose to shop, I challenge you to think of our locally based fashion-stylists/brands that pride themselves on creating looks just for us! Support local and stay stylish ICT.
Ti’Juana “Mamarazzi” Hardwell
Owner/Editor Ti’Juana Hardwell
Cover Design Kingstun Graphics/Kwame Rowe
Issue Sponsors Kingstun Graphics Danni Diamond Bundles Not Human/Space Station 2 Beatz Mobile Boutique Steele Designs +ICT Fashion Industry Mamarazzi Entertainment Magazine is based in Wichita, KS. The publication is available in print and online. For more information: www.mamarazzimagazine.com I mamarazzimagazine@gmail.com 2
SPECIAL FEATURE
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5 POWERBALL
EVENT
RELOADED: PICTURES FROM THE EPIC NIGHT
ICT STYLE ISSUE
9 WILL POLITE CEO OF MARS MANSION CLOTHING TALKS WINNING W/ POWERBALL
ALSO FEATURED
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10 PHYLICIA THOMPSON THE ENTREPRENEUR, MOM AND WIFE DISCUSSES BOUTIQUE ON WHEELS
11 TEVIN JACQUES Q&A
SEGMENT W/ NOT HUMAN
13 BRITTANY & QUEEN MOM-DAUGHTER SHOWSTOPPERS ON SETTING THE BAR
14 THE BIG CHOP: WITH ACTRESS SEANIECE BOLDEN
15 HPLA
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LAUREN MERCADO CHATS ABOUT BRINGING LA FLAVA TO ICT & HER NEXT BIG MOVE!
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T here’s nothing like trying on the perfect outfit to boost your confidence. Sometimes getting that perfect outfit can be more hassle than fun. With 2 Beatz Mobile Boutique, you don’t have to worry about long lines or crowds. Our traveling boutique comes to you! Enjoy this convenient shopping experience with your coco-workers, friends, and family members for any event. You can book us and shop our online selection by visiting www.2beatzboutique.com! #BeYouBeBeautiful
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2BeatzBoutique.com
SPECIAL FEATURE: EVENT RECAP
WICHITA’S POWERBALL RELOADED!!! This social event made the town come out dressed to impress! In the pages to come, we’ll rewind to show you just how ICT shows out! Powerball event flyer. 5
Will Polite and friends look over the crowd as DJ Magnum turns up the music.
Danielle Johnson, Ricki Ellison, Shareika Fisher, LaShea Bell, Kianga Kelly-Crowley, Amber Michelle and Tamecca Rolfe pose for a picture to capture the night.
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HPLA’s Lauren Mercado and a friend rest their feet during the night.
Desmond Bryant and friends cheese for cameras.
John Williams and his date stand in the moment for a picture.
MUA Dominique Hunter and hubby take an “usie.”
Jeremie McGlory and his date dance the night away.
Solange Knowles Don’t Touch My Hair
Marquez Gails and Talia Gray shine in their style choices for the night.
Tiffany Cribbs and Jayden Fleming pose for the paparazzi.
A lovely lady in blue poses with Bailey Scott and Troy Andrews.
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Asa Jones looks dapper.
Troy Andrews, Andre Allen, Terrell Franklin and Mark Walker (bottom) show off their suits.
Sarah Myers, Ruth Torres, Renee Alexander, DeNeshia Davis and Tiffany Cribbs sit for drinks.
G’s to Gents: Marquez Gails, Chuck Gunner, Justin McAlpine and Elbert Costello. 8
LaCriesha Harding poses in an elegant gown.
David Holifield and Antar Riggs stunt for the photo.
THE ICT STYLE ISSUE! Will Polite Polite, CEO of Mars Mansion clothing line, was one of the hosts of the Powerball event held at the Abode venue. The upscale social event urged young Wichita to take style to the next level.
WILL POLITE
Men stepped out in suits and ties for Powerball.
Young Wichita stepped out dressed to impress for the Powerball event held on the last Saturday in February. The formal event was held at the Abode venue and drew in more than 400 people. Will Polite, Josh Manning and Erin Garcia coordinated and hosted the event. Manning has a reputation for throwing themed-events that call for a certain attire. Garcia has largely made a name for herself in the hair and makeup industry. And for years, Polite has owned and operated Mars Mansion, a Wichita-based clothing line. Polite, who is well-traveled, wanted to bring the big-city feel to ICT. “Anytime I’ve ever gone out in a big city, I always think about how I can
bring that feeling back to my city,” says Polite, who recently moved back to Wichita after having lived in Dallas for a while. He says he wanted to plan an event that would encourage young black men to step outside of what they normally wear on a night out on the town. “I want them to have a reason to have a suit and tie in their closets,” explains Polite. Leading up to the event the hosts shared several style-inspirations on the event page to guide patrons on some looks for the upscale event. Prior to the event, Powerball garnered lots of discussion via social media as it was something outside of the box for the 21-38 demographic in Wichita. Polite feels the event’s February 25 date fared well for them as they didn’t have
to go against any other major events within the city, sports games or anything else for that matter. And the weather was just right. “We wanted people to be able to wear their furs if they wanted to,” says Polite. “And they did.” “I was so proud of Wichita because everybody looked so good,” he adds. Polite says law officers who were working outside of the event were also impressed and complimented the attendees. “They said they’d like to see more events like that,” Polite says. “Everybody was on their best behavior and having a good time.” The cost of admission was kept low at just $25 per person. A considerable amount of tickets were purchased online and in-person prior to the event. There were limited V.I.P. tables which sold out weeks in advance.
Continued on Next Page 9
“This event was not to make money,” says Polite. “We wanted people to come out, have a good time and have something to remember.” “We were also setting a tone for what to expect next,” adds Polite. Polite is confident that young people in Wichita have the ability to dress to impress--but feels there has not been nearly enough opportunities for them to do so. He will continue to bring his big-city experiences back to his hometown in order to spark expectations for future nightlife and social events. The hosts have already had their first meeting to discuss plans for the second annual event. In the meantime, Polite is busy sketching and creating styles for his Mars Mansion clothing line which is gearing up for new season releases. For updates, follow Mars Mansion on Facebook.##
Last year Phylicia Thompson decided to take her online clothing boutique store on the road. 2 Beatz Mobile Boutique allows shoppers a unique opportunity to have a store brought directly to them! Thompson managed her boutique’s online orders while also juggling a regular 9-5 job. But then she felt something was missing. “The money was good but it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing,” says Thompson, a wife and mom of two children. “I decided that I would take the extra money I was making and start investing in myself and what I really wanted to do.” She began buying inventory for the boutique and made plans to leave her job. Rather than find a stationary place for her boutique, she opted for a chance to move around, meet new faces and go where the people were. Thompson searched the internet for small buses with the idea of mobilizing her boutique. She knew it
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PHYLICIA THOMPSON
Phylicia Thompson wanted the type of flexibility that would allow her to move around and meet new people. By putting her fashion boutique on wheels, she is able to go wherever the people are!
would likely carry a heavy price tag. “I wanted something reasonable so it took me some time,” says Thompson. “But then I found it.” Along with her husband Samuel, she went to have a look at a bus previously owned by a church in Derby. The church was upgrading their bus and letting go of their old one. “The bus had 15 seats and it was wheelchair accessible,” describes Thompson. “It needed some work.” She wasn’t sure about purchasing the bus so soon but didn’t want to miss out on a good deal. “It took a leap of faith,” explains Thompson. “I really didn’t want to pass it up.” Thompson says with the full support of her husband she closed the deal. They began making improvements to the aesthetics of the bus which included removing the seats, installing racks and designing a wrap for the outside of the bus that resembled a store-like face. “Sam is just the bomb,” Thompson says of her hubby. “He’s smart and super supportive of me.”
“He walked with me through the whole process,” she adds. Thompson spends time sharing the boutique’s “Be you, be beautiful” mantra with middle and high school students. Issues with self-esteem are relative to Thompson because she struggled with it in her adolescent years. Fashion became a great way for her to express herself and build her confidence. “It’s so important to tell young girls that they don’t have to look like the photo shopped version of some girl on Instagram,” says Thompson. “You have to love yourself, where you are and how you are.” Thompson has expanded her venture to include private parties for corporate events and ladies night outings. As the pop-up shop concept is growing in popularity, 2 Beatz is sure to be in the mist of things. “They’re fun and personable,” Thompson says. “It’s a great way to put my boutique out there.” She’s gearing up for the boutique’s spring and summer fashions. “I’m super excited,” says Thompson. “Spring is my favorite season because of how colorful and fun it can be.” In August the mobile boutique will celebrate the first year in business. “I’m glad to be doing what I love to do,” she adds. Want 2 Beatz Mobile Boutique to come to you?! Visit www.2beatzboutique.com. Details to book a party are online as well.##
TEVIN JACQUES
A & Q
in Jacq an’s Tev m u H t o w/ N Segment
ues
administration asked for him to remove it.] I thought that was complete BS. After I made him the Not Human letter jacket his mom asked if I would be a friend to him and take him out to have fun. I have a good heart and agreed to. From that day we built a relationship and I understand him just like he understands me. We are both different from your average and we both just want to live life. He loves to play basketball. He Mike Curry with the shot boyyyyy! [Laughing.] Love the kid!
Mamarazzi: You created Not Human some time ago. What inspired you to get started and what inspired the name?! Tevin: Not Human was established as a street wear brand in 2010. I always dressed very well and people would ask where I got my clothing. I figured that if I started something of my own people would love the style I had to bring to the table. The Not Human name came from my fascination with aliens, space, planets and cartoons (as you can tell by my tattoos) and also just wanting to be different that everyone else. People ask, “What makes you different than me?” I reply, “My lifestyle.” Mamarazzi: I’ve followed Not Human since the very beginning. When it started you had a team of a few others. Do you still have that team of people around? Tevin: You always start with a team but you don’t always end with those you started with. Some people won’t ride ‘til the end and some people won’t see your vision how you see it so they fall apart. Remember that when you start a dream business you recruit a team of people that see your vision at first then when things go sour they make like MJ and fade away, and that leaves it up to you whether you stay down or give up. I’ll never give up on this. Not Human is more than a dream to me. This is my LIFE! Mamarazzi: You have a great relationship with a special needs kid that I absolutely adore. You spend time with him and share about him on your Facebook page. Tell me a little bit about him and how that relationship happened. Tevin: Mike is his name. He is a very special kid in my life that I can say I trust. I met him after I made him a Not Human letterman jacket, when East High School made him take his off. [Editor’s note: This story was brought to the attention of Wichita news media. Mike, who has down syndrome and autism, played basketball for East High’s special needs team. His mother wanted to acknowledge his participation and bought him a varsity letter and jacket. When he wore it to school the school’s
Mamarazzi: You are very much responsible for the creativity that goes into the Not Human clothing line. Can you describe what it’s like to see people wearing those sketches and designs?! Tevin: Creating a dope piece of clothing that you know the streets and the media will dig is like the best thing ever. It never gets old. It’s like having sex on Pluto. You’re just wondering what’s next! [Laughs.] I love the support I get every time I release new collections. People dig the clothing! Mamarazzi: You’ve taken on some new ventures like managing and promoting MMA fighter Steven “The Ninja” Nguyen Nguyen. What made you pursue that?! Tevin: Honestly it was crazy! People always told me to expand and use my marketing skills to my advantage. So I always kept my ears open. In the barbershop I overheard this talented artist/barber Paydro Ruiz talking to Steve about his fights. They didn’t know I was listening and Steven didn’t know who I was. After that day I said that the next time I saw Steven I was going to ask him to wear some of my Not Human clothing. A couple of days later I saw him at the Piano Bar. We talked and he said, “Hell yeah. I’ll rock that sh*t!” Then out of nowhere I asked if he needed a manager. Now we’re making history! Mamarazzi: What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs starting out? Tevin: My advice to anyone is to keep believing in yourself even if they start hating or stop believing in you. Always give 110%. Full time brings no recess. When starting a new business, be ready to dedicate your life to it. It’s not as easy as you plan for it to be and it’s not going to always go as planned. I’ve cried, took a break on designing and had people turn their backs on me. But that’s all part of the business. It’s a minor setback for a major comeback. You never know how well a business is doing or how bad one is doing. The hardest thing I’ve ever done was started a business! Just be ready. Fail but don’t give up. Sh*t happens but have a Plan B. Mamarazzi: What’s next for Not Human?! Tevin: Our line is about to get crazy! The takeover of Not Human! To shop Not Human visit www.NotHumanWorld.com or stop into the Space Station located at 139 N. Mead St., Wichita, KS 67202.
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SHOP NOW
NOTHUMANWORLD.COM
OUR STORY
MUST ORDER ONLINE.
MIDW EST ORIGINALS SINCE 2010 -NOT HUMAN STARTED OUT HUSTLING SHIRTS OUT THE TRUNK OF CAR. W HAT STARTED OUT AS A COUPLE OF FRIENDS COMING TOGETHER TO BRING IN A DIFFERENT VIBE TO A SMALL TOW N. AFTER YEARS OF GRINDING, NETW ORKING, STRUGGLING, AND REJECTION (FROM HUNDREDS OF RETAIL LOCATIONS) NOT HUMAN HAS DECIDED TO CREATE ITS OW N W AVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST KNOW N INDEPENDENT CLOTHING BRANDS. NOW , WITH INFLUENCE IN EVERY US STATE AND MULTIPLE COUNTRIES AROUND THE W ORLD, NOT HUMAN HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF AND HAS BEEN FEATURED ON INFLUENCERS THAT AS KIDS, W E COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED.
NOTHUMAN©
To shop Not Human visit www.NotHumanWorld.com or stop into the Space Station located at 139 N. Mead St., Wichita, KS 67202.
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MOM-DAUGHTER
BRITTANY BURROUGH & QUEEN CHALMERS
Brittany Burrough’s knack for style has many admirers. The traveling fashionista brings bold looks to the nightlife scene and hopes other Wichitans will follow suit. Burrough has always had an eye for fashion. Growing up her mother made sure she was dressed fashionably in the latest threads. It’s something Burrough has passed on to her own daughter. Queen, age 6, is the source of inspiration for Royalty Kids Kouture--a posh children’s boutique. The online store features clothing for young girls and boys aged 18 months to 11-years-old. The items include shirts, jeans, bowties, skirts, shoes, hand bags and trendy jackets. “I didn’t really want to go into women’s fashion because so many people here were already in that lane,” says Burrough, 29. “But I felt no one was offering kids fashion and decided to pursue that.” The virtual clothing store has operated for more than 2 years. Burrough promotes Royalty Kids via social media and draws hundreds of likes as Queen models the clothing. “She has a big personality and loves fashion,” Burrough says about Queen. “She plays in my heels and likes getting dressed about 4-5 times a day.” The mom and daughter duo enjoy
dressing alike--although Queen also likes to dress up with her American Girl dolls. They travel for Queen’s modeling gigs but turn down some opportunities because of school--choosing the summer break to get busy with more modeling. Travels have afforded Burrough and her daughter the opportunity to attend fashion shows and take in big-city trends. It ignites Burrough’s feelings that Wichita is sometimes behind in the fashion world. For more than a year she has managed Club Bounce nightclub in Wichita’s Old Town district. The club tried to enforce a strict dress code which would refuse admission for violations which included plain tees and ball caps. They learned very quickly that dress codes can negatively impact attendance and revenue. “Wichita can’t be told what to do,” Burrough says she realized. “It didn’t work for us and we had to be more lax.”
The upscale dress code the club wanted was somewhat ignored by the patrons. Dress codes were an attempt to control the riff raff like fights and discourage troublemakers. But even Burrough says, “It’s not what’s on you--it’s what’s in you.” “People who want to fight are going to fight no matter if they’re in jeans or dressed up,” Burrough adds. Burrough says themed-events that communicate expectations for attire are more effective--but you sometimes have rebels who disregard it. On nights that Burrough manages Club Bounce, she posts a picture of the headturning fashion she’s wearing. Although she knows it’s not easy to set standards for how Wichita’s clubbers dress when they step out, she’s setting the bar. The stylish mom-daughter boldly stand out in ICT’s fashion world.##
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THE [BIG]
P O CH ESS SE G ACTR IN M O C
E ANIEC
&
W/ UP
Young actress Seaniece Bolden is
gradually building her resume in both TV and multi short film productions like “The Big Chop.” The 11-year-old is daughter to professional drummer and Wichita native Sean Bolden. Her father plays drums for Grammy award winning singer Estelle and has spent a significant amount of time traveling his family back and forth to LA to fulfill his musical aspirations as well as Seaniece’s acting career. They currently reside in the Texas area. Lanyae Bolden, Seaniece’s mother, recalls how at age 3 she would stand in front of the TV mimicking the things she’d see. “She was very animated and such a dramatic little girl,” Lanyae describes. “She kept saying ‘I want to be in the TV.’” “She’d ask how she could get into the TV and I knew that meant she wanted to be on TV,” mom adds. Mom watched as her daughter memorized full scripts and acted out the scenes. She realized her child was indeed serious about acting. Lanyae knew that with the right help, she’d actually be good at. Seaniece’s acting teacher agreed. She landed a role in a film titled “Third Strike” where she portrays Rayland, a young girl being sexually abused by her uncle. Sean starred in Drake’s “Energy” video.
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“I talked to her before and explained to her what was going on,” explains Lanyae. “I definitely wanted to make sure she was in a good head space and that she knew that it wasn’t real and just acting.” If Seaniece didn’t want to do the role, mom says she wouldn’t have let her go forward with it. “I didn’t want this to be a traumatic experience for her or ruin her innocence,” added Lanyae about the serious role. During the depiction of the molestation which was filmed in the kitchen area of the on-set house, Seaniece’s mother stood closely by but off-camera. “She played terror very well,” says Lanyae. “They gave her a lot of breaks while filming the scene and the directors and everybody made it comfortable for her.” “The Big Chop” film which Seaniece also stars in was much lighter of a role to fill. The film follows main character Kris on her return to having natural hair. After relenting to the pressures of her mom, 10-yearold Kris perms her hair. She continues even into her adulthood before getting “the big chop.” The film used a free-script so Seaniece didn’t have to memorize any lines. She played a natural-haired Kyla whose grandmother was also fed up with her natural look. Kris encourages Seaniece’s character to do what makes her happy. “I was really excited but also nervous,” says Seaniece. “I didn’t want to screw it up.”
Seaniece poses with her on on--screen grandmother. Seaniece’s dad recorded his daughter’s cameo in the film via Facebook Live and shared it with his followers. Seaniece felt it was pretty cool to see herself on TV but says a lot of her classmates couldn’t believe she was part of a film. When she’s not watching her favorite reality shows, “Bring It,” “Braxton Family Values,” and “Dance Moms,” she’s taking notes from watching acting roles of respected awardwinning actress Viola Davis. “I like to watch strong actors,” she says. “That’s what I want to be so I watch actresses like Viola.” Seaniece hopes to someday be offered a leading role in a project. Mom and dad however, are already delighted about their child star and her potential. “My daughter has more acting experience than some adults,” Sean proudly says. “It’s amazing to be able to say that because some adults are still trying to get to where she is.” “When something bigger comes along, she’s definitely prepared,” dad adds.##
HANDPICKED LA EXPANSION UNDERWAY! LAUREN MERCADO The owner of Handpicked LA will serve as the new Fashion Editor for Aware Video Magazine! +PLUS Mercado may also be HANDPICKING a new location for HPLA!
Styles from the Los Angeles area
“I would like to call myself blissfully ignorant,” Mercado says laughing. are not out of reach for the coast“Honestly I just thought ‘I want the space less admirers who love it. Fashion and I’m going to get it and I’m going to entrepreneur Lauren Mercado figure it out.’” insisted on bringing pieces of the She signed a 2-year lease and quickly city’s style back to her hometown of enlisted the help of her family to give the Wichita in a shop she perfectly store a facelift! Her mom came in and named “Handpicked LA.” painted as her dad handled For nearly 10 years installations. Mercado also Mercado lived in the LA area put her siblings to work for and worked as a creative some of the final looks director assisting with using mostly handcrafted photos shoots for several items and thrifty goods. fashion-retail entities. She Mercado insisted her store first envisioned opening a involve the fashion she fashion store in the loved while living in LA. California area but shifted “There’s so many people [in gears after a trip to ICT. She LA] so you can wear your hadn’t been to the area in crazy styles and just blend almost five years. in with everyone,” says “I was in town from Cali Mercado. “There’s not and visiting family [in much pressure and you Wichita],” recalls can just throw on what Mercado. “And I kept ShopHandpickedLA.com you like.” driving through the She says Wichita is very similar. Douglas and Washington area and I “There’s really no difference,” says saw this sign that said ‘Space Mercado. “There are people who are really Available’.” stylish and want to adopt the trends really The property had previously early.” been occupied by “The Ladies of Golf Mercado has leaned on fellow Place.” Mercado was impressed by entrepreneurs and friends who still reside the growth happening in the Old in the LA area. They provide helpful tips to Town area but worried that the her along the way like what styles to offer property would be too expensive for customers. her to afford. She inquired about it “I didn’t think that was going to be so anyway.
hard when I first opened,” admits Mercado. “I just kind of thought I was going to bring in things that I like and everyone was going to love it--and that’s not the case because there’s not two people whose style is the same.” “At 29 [years-old] I’m basically clueless on entrepreneurship and I’m learning as I go,” she adds. Many of the styles featured in HPLA have been carefully selected after polling some of her most loyal friends and clients. Merchandise ranges $8-$60. “It’s all super affordable [because] that’s how I shop,” Mercado explains. “Nothing is over sixty dollars and I think that’s how women should shop.” Mercado will be bringing attention to other fashion boutiques, stores and designers as the new Fashion Editor for Aware Video Magazine. “Aware” highlights things around the city like fashion, entertainment, and entrepreneurship. She has forged meaningful rapport with several local entrepreneurs in the fashion realm and is excited about serving in the role. Mercado sees this opportunity as a way to contribute to the “Support Local” movement, something she’s grown even more passionate about since returning. She jokingly refers to herself as “The Connect,” explaining that she brings people together around fashion. Mercado exclusively shared with Mamarazzi Entertainment Magazine that Handpicked LA will be relocating outside of the Old Town area by the end of summer to make way for an exciting expansion.##
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